


Poplar goes to therapy

by PietroFan420



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Horrortale (Undertale), Gen, Horrortale Papyrus (Undertale), Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-15 16:22:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28816311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PietroFan420/pseuds/PietroFan420
Summary: I played the Bonely Hearts Club demo, and it was really fun! However, I feel like Poplar (the name they gave to Horrortale Papyrus) would probably have a LOT of PTSD. Horrortale is really fucked up. Also, since in BHC HT!Sans is named Ash, that's what I'll call him here.So here's Poplar going to therapy. He needs it.
Kudos: 7





	Poplar goes to therapy

It had been five minutes since monsters were freed from the Underground, and Aliza was already regretting it. After all, almost all of them wanted to eat her. Unleashing them on humanity was probably not the best idea. Queen Undyne was working on teaching people not to eat each other on the Surface, which helped a bit. But still, Aliza was filled with fear knowing that they could run rampant.   
A hand tapped on her shoulder. Startled, she glanced up to see Poplar' ugly-ass face. (Maybe that was a bit rude of her to think, but those teeth? Those eyes? Yuck.)   
"HUMAN, I SENSE YOU'RE WORRIED. WE'RE GOING TO BE OKAY! THERE'S NOTHING TO FEAR," he said, which wasn't reassuring.  
"I- I'm just scared. I mean, how long have monsters been down there?"  
"THREE HUNDRED FIFTY-NINE YEARS. WHY DO YOU ASK?"  
"I just feel like you guys might have trouble fitting in with humanity. Especially since... uh... you guys don't have the best relationship with humans."  
"understatement of the fucking year, kid," muttered Ash.   
"JESUS CHRIST, ASH, STOP APPEARING OUT OF THIN AIR!"  
"what about thick air?"  
"Wouldn't that just be water?"  
"UGH! I HAVE BETTER THINGS TO DO THAN SIT AROUND LISTENING TO YOU GOONS."  
Poplar dramatically stomped off. 

It had been a week since monsters were freed from the Underground, and Aliza was already feeling better. Even though they had done so many awful things to her (including letting her drown in tar, killing her with bones, and ripping her arm off!), the skeleton brothers were actually pretty cool when they weren't hungry. But when they were...  
"Hey, Poplar? How are those flowers coming alo- OH MY GOD!"  
Poplar was sitting on the ground, covered in dirt. The dirt was expected, as he was helping her plant. The blood splattered across his face, though, was not.  
"OH! SORRY, I GOT HUNGRY. SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED A LITTLE SNACK, YOU KNOW?"  
"Wh- what did you eat???" asked Aliza, terrified.  
"I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT IT'S CALLED... IT HAD A FLUFFY TAIL? I THINK ASH CALLED IT A 'TREE RAT'. HE HELPED ME SNIPE IT!"  
"YOU ATE A SQUIRREL???"  
"YES, THAT'S WHAT IT'S CALLED! A SQUIRREL. HONESTLY, I'VE HAD WORSE."  
"Poplar, you can't eat squirrels. There's food inside."  
"I'M REALLY SORRY! I'M JUST USED TO, YOU KNOW, MAKING DO."  
"Jesus christ, Poplar," muttered Aliza.  
"IS- IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG WITH ME? I WAS HUNGRY, SO I ATE. WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?"

Poplar sat in the lobby outside the office, looking around at the paintings on the walls and the patients on the other side of the room. This was the only place that had agreed to help him, yet the lobby was filled with fear.   
"Poplar?" asked a young woman, sticking her head out a door.  
"OH, THAT'S ME!"  
"C-could you come in, please?"  
Poplar entered the room and sat down on the couch. The woman sat on a chair before him.  
"So, Poplar, your friend Aliza told me all about you. She's a very sweet girl, you know."  
"OH, YES! ALIZA IS A GREAT PERSON."  
"See, she told me about the Underground where monsters lived, and it didn't sound very pretty to me."  
"UH, THAT'S ONE WAY TO PUT IT, I GUESS."  
"She told me how there was little food, tight restrictions, and an empress who threatened to kill people over a piece of candy."  
"YEAH, UNDYNE... I DON'T REALLY LIKE THINKING ABOUT HER. I MISS HER FRIENDSHIP."  
"I see. Has she changed since you were friends?"  
"OH, SO MUCH! SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN HOT-HEADED, BUT NEVER THIS RUTHLESS! SHE WAS A HERO! EVERYONE LOVED HER! I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, SHE JUST CRACKED ONE DAY, AND SHE'S BEEN A TYRANT EVER SINCE!"  
"I'm sorry about that, Poplar. Do you want to reconnect with Undyne?"  
"I- I DON'T KNOW, SHE'S CHANGED A LOT, AND I DON'T THINK THINGS CAN EVER GO BACK TO HOW THEY WERE. SO I SHOULD FOCUS ON THE PRESENT AND FUTURE, AND MAKE NEW CONNECTIONS!"  
"That's a good idea. It's important to connect with new people, and make new friends, like Aliza."  
"YES, EXACTLY! I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET MY LAZY BROTHER ASH TO SOCIALIZE A BIT, BUT I'M A BIT SCARED."  
"Scared? Scared in what way?"  
"I'M WORRIED HE'LL LASH OUT. HE- HE'S CHANGED TOO. HE'S WEIRDLY CRUEL AT TIMES."  
"Are you worried he'll lash out at you?"  
"NO, OF COURSE NOT! I'M WORRIED HE'LL KILL SOMEONE, AND THEN HE'LL GO TO JAIL, AND THAT WOULDN'T BE VERY GOOD, NOW WOULD IT?"  
"You're worried your brother will kill someone?"  
"HE, UH, HAS A BIT OF A RECORD OF VIOLENCE. HE THREATENED TO KILL ALIZA... OH, AT LEAST FIVE TIMES! AND HE RIPPED HER ARM OFF. THAT WASN'T VERY NICE OF HIM."  
"He ripped Aliza's arm off?"  
"YES, AND I HAD TO HIT HIM WITH A HAMMER. WELL, IT WAS REALLY A STICK WITH A ROCK ON IT. VERY DURABLE. IT MADE A NICE CRUNCHING SOUND."  
"So, why did he rip her arm off, and why did you hit him?"  
"WELL, SHE, UH, GOT A BIT BURNT, AND ASH WAS HUNGRY. SHE PROBABLY SMELLED LIKE FIRED CHICKEN."  
"Wait, fried chicken?"  
"YES! I TRIED IT FOR THE FIRST TIME THE OTHER DAY, AND IT WAS EXQUISITE! IT SMELLED GREAT, TOO. SO THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT TOASTED HUMAN SMELLS LIKE."  
"So he wanted to eat her arm?"  
"YEAH. HE TOLD ME IF HE EVER TRIES TO EAT A HUMAN, I SHOULD HIT HIM. SO I DID. HE DESERVED IT."  
"Does he hit you back?"  
"I GUESS I HAVE MORE RESTRAINT THAN HIM. I KNOW HUMANS ARE SENTIENT, SO I DON'T EAT THEM. ALTHOUGH ALIZA GOT MAD AT ME THE OTHER DAY FOR EATING A SQUIRREL."  
"It's hard to break habits. You have to keep reminding yourself that this isn't the Underground, and you're not in any danger. Confide in the people you trust. They'll help you."  
She smiled warmly, and Poplar felt more comfortable.  
"Anyway, our session is over for today. I'll need to work out insurance and payment, but for now, you can go home. I'll see you next week, Poplar."  
"OKAY! AND... THANKS."  
"You're welcome! See you next week."  
"SEE YA!"  
As the tall skeleton walked out the door, Lauren heaved a heavy sigh. Jesus Christ, that was difficult. Murderous skeletons who go feral when hungry were not her usual patients. But she would help Poplar. Whatever it took.


End file.
